AMDI APP Launch - Black Head Surf Club - NSW

Tangaroa Blue Foundation is proud to announce the launch of the Australian Marine Debris Initiative (AMDI) App to provide a platform for citizen scientists and AMDI partners to contribute data from their clean-up activities the AMDI Database. This data enables the tracking of marine debris and litter items back to the source, so that source reduction plans can be implemented to stop the flow of rubbish into our oceans.

The app will be launched Tuesday 19 June at Black Head Surf Life Saving Club in NSW, and will be supported by three short training events for interested volunteers at Speers Point, Stockton and Forster fronm June 17 - 20.

Anyone keen to register to attend the launch or one of the training sessions is invited to sign up via the following links:

The development of the AMDI app has been supported by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Parks Authority's Local Marine Advisory Committees, Hunter Local Land Services, Northern Agricultural Catchments Council, Queensland Water & Land Carers, Southern Region Waste Group, Sunshine Coast Council and Unitywater.

Heidi Taylor from Tangaroa Blue says the app will make real-time monitoring of pollution easier for the dedicated volunteers working to remove rubbish from our coasts.

“The app is going to make our data collection so much easier as volunteers can automatically record GPS data, add photos and even scan the barcode on rubbish so we can track it back to its source,” says Ms Taylor.

“We work with community, government and industry groups to identify sources to find practical solutions to stop marine debris entering our waterways.”

“Hunter Local Land Services is one of the AMDI partners and acknowledges the many volunteers along our coastline, who work tirelessly to improve habitats for native species and make our beaches better for everyone,” says Community Engagement Officer Reegan Walker.

“We are encouraging community groups, industry bodies and just the wider marine users to come along to these training sessions, to ensure the app is used to its full potential.”Tangaroa Blue is urging anyone currently finding rubbish from the damaged shipping containers to take photos and lodge the barcodes with the AMDI – so the rubbish can be tracked as it moves along the coastline.